ESPN Classic (Canada) re-aired "Where were you in '92?" this past weekend, showing back-to-back-to-back-to-back broadcasts of the 1992 World Series between the Blue Jays and Braves.
This coming weekend, the network will replay "De ja Blue", showing the 1993 Fall Classic featuring the Jays and Phillies.
Now, ESPN Classic (Canada) has shown every postseason game involving the Jays in 1993, but only the World Series in 1992.
What happened to the A's-Jays ALCS in Toronto's first championship season?
Last year, I'd corresponded with someone at the network about the possibility of airing the Oakland-Toronto championship series. The reply I received stated that they were looking into getting those games and might air them later in the year.
Unfortunately, the network still hasn't shown any of the 1992 ALCS games to date.
I still say the A's should have beaten the Blue Jays in that series.
Oakland was up 6-1 in Game Four and on the verge of tying the series, with ace Dave Stewart, who'd never lost in LCS play, scheduled to start Game Five. Yet AL MVP Dennis Eckersley couldn't protect a 6-2 lead upon entering the 8th inning, giving up a couple of RBI-hits to make the score 6-4, before Roberto Alomar ultimately tied things up in the 9th.
Still, a great run by the Toronto team that found ways to rally against league MVPs (Eckersley), all-time saves leaders (Jeff Reardon in the '92 WS), and mediocre closers (Mitch Wild Thing Williams, twice, in '93 WS), and beat up on Cy Young Award winners (Jack McDowell, twice, in '93 ALCS) and future postseason heroes (Curt Schilling, Game One, '93 WS).
Had Eck shut the door in Game Four though, the run would never have happened... The Athletics had Henderson, McGwire, Stewart, Eckersley, Baines, and even added Sierra and Russell late in the year. Tony LaRussa was supposed to be a genius, while Cito Gaston not.
Too bad.
Of course, resident friend John House would undoubtedly say if Candiotti had pitched well in 1991, the Jays might well have won 3 WS in a row.
But I say if Timlin wasn't brought in to pitch the 10th inning in Game Three, he wouldn't have given up the back-breaking home run to the Twins. Where was Duane Ward in that situation? Why wasn't Ward brought in?
Why didn't Pat Borders hit homers and drive in runs against the Twins the way he would in his WS MVP performance the following fall vs. the Braves?
Why didn't Borders tag Shane Mack with the ball on a critical play in Game Five with Toronto up 5-2? That was the play where Kelly Gruber threw home to try and cut down Mack, but Borders tagged him with his EMPTY bare hand!! (Mack scored on the play and the next batter hit a double to drive home two more runs and tie the score.)
Why didn't Joe Carter homer off David West in the 7th inning of a tie game with Alomar on first base? Why did West pitch so effectively against Toronto? (The Jays would batter West, later a Phillie, in the '93 WS.) Why didn't Alomar steal second and third (like how he swiped third vs. the Angels in the division-clinching game) a la Henderson and Lofton?
(The Jays left Alomar stranded on first base, despite Robbie getting on base to lead off that inning. Alas, Greg Gagne got on base to lead off the next half-inning off Ward, and the Twins tallied three runs to win the ballgame, 8-5.)
Why did Toronto hit ONE homer--that by Carter--in the entire series (unlike the '92 and '93 postseasons)?
Why did Toronto let Minnesota win THREE games at SkyDome to clinch the series? (First time in LCS history that the feat was achieved.) Why didn't the Jays score an earned run against the Twins bullpen? (First time in LCS history it happened.)
Why did all those bloopers off Candiotti drop in for hits? Why didn't White or Maldonado dive or make sliding catches on those bloop hits (the way Dave Winfield did in Atlanta in Game Six of the '92 WS off Ron Gant)?
I wonder what House has to say to all that.
What I can say is the Candiotti thing just depends on who's scoring at home. In their books, Stephen Brunt and former politician Larry Grossman both slammed Candiotti. The CBS announcers though, praised Candiotti for coming through with a clutch performance, as he handed the ball to the bullpen with a three-run lead upon departing in the finale.
(Haha - I do remember reading a Toronto article in the aftermath, where Candiotti himself was quoted as saying he "redeemed" himself in Game Five! LOL)
I mean, we can all sit here all day and say "what-if" a hundred times, but I suppose the facts are, the Jays won back-to-back titles. Boo.
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